Who, Inuyasha: Kagome or Me?
by Muriai Kamari
Summary: This is one of the many stories I'm writing for the Collection "Stories for InuHime to B**** About" InuHime being InuHime313 Will InuYasha choose Kagome, Kikyo's reincarnation, or this half demon who is the reincarnation of Kagome?
1. The New Girl

**Stories InuHime can bitch about**

**Story 1: The Inuyasha Story**

**Who, InuYasha: Kagome or Me?**

_An Inuyasha x O.C. Fan-fic._

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo sat on a mat placed by the Dry Old Well. Sango and Miroku sipped tea as Shippo ate from a tile of fried fish.

"Inuyasha said Kagome hasn't been feeling very well lately…" Sango said as she sipped her tea. "When she left for her own time, he said she was going to see a 'Doctor.' Is that a Priest that heals ailments?"

"Probably," replied Miroku.

"I hope they can help," Shippo said between bites at a fish. "She complained of a terrible headache, then she collapsed right there in the road. Inuyasha was so worried he raced her over to Lady Kaede's."

Sango put her tea down. "I didn't know she collapsed! What did Kaede say was the matter?"

Shippo shook his head. "Kaede said that whatever the problem was, she couldn't help. So when Kagome woke up, she went back home…"

Inuyasha came over out of the forest. "Any sign of Kagome?"

All three shook their heads in reply. Inuyasha walked over to the old well and jumped in.

As he climbed out again, he heard screaming and banging.

"Who are you?!" Came a woman's voice.

"Where is Kagome?!" That got Inuyasha's attention.

Sniffing the air as he ran, Inuyasha followed Kagome's sent to her room. On the bed lay a blond haired girl with gold dog-ears. Her fangs and claws were small but sharp.

She had the look of a dear caught in the headlights as Kagome's Mother waved a broom threateningly at her.

"Where is my daughter?!" Kagome's mother said again.

Inuyasha gently pushed her out of the room and closed the door.

After a minute, he turned to face the girl on Kagome's bed. "You smell like my friend, Kagome. Have you seen her?"

The girl shook her head, still a little afraid. Inuyasha wasn't satisfied.

Sota burst into the room. "Yes, you haven't transformed back! Oh, hi Inuyasha!"

Sota hugged the girl on the bed. The girl didn't move. "Look at Kagome! She can be a demon too! Mama didn't believe me but I saw it! Kagome was looking at those jewel shard things you've been collecting and then she started to glow! When the light died down Kagome was like this!"

He looked at the girl. "Right, Kagome?"

The girl looked at Sota. She smiled softly and patted his head. "You're a silly boy. I'm sorry, but my name isn't Kagome." She closed her eyes.

"My name is all I know. It's Inuhime Ayame. And I'm a half demon."

* * *

InuYasha came out of the well. Sango and Miroku stood up.

"Well," started Sango.

"How is Kagome?" Miroku finished.

"We've been so worried!" Piped in Shippo as he jumped up and down.

Inuyasha leaned down into the well and pulled up…

"Ghaaa! Demon!" Shippo backed away.

"You are too, and you don't see me running in fear of someone I just saw for the first time…" Inuhime muttered.

"Who is this, Inuyasha?" Sango asked.

"Young Lady, would you do me the honor of bearing me a child?" Miroku knelt before Inuhime, holding one of her hands.

She blinked, then…

_**WHAM!!!**_

"I guess that's a 'no'?" Miroku said dizzily before falling over.

"She's ok by me…" Sango said.

* * *

"So," said Kaede as she studied Inuhime's face, turning it this was and that to get it from all angles. "Ye wish to know if this indeed be Kagome, do ye not?" She let go of Inuhime's face.

"Well, Inuyasha, you needed not come to me for such a simple thing." Kaede turned to Inuhime.

"Say 'sit' please."

Inuhime blinked. "Um… sit?"

_**SLAM!!!**_

Inuyasha crawled out of the 6-foot deep hole he had made. "DAMN IT WOMAN I DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW _THAT_ WAY!!!"

Inuhime blinked. "Um… what just happened?"

"Hum, just as I thought," said Kaede as she got up. "That's a powerful ally ye have Inuyasha. A demon with the holy powers of a priestess be powerful indeed."


	2. Voices of the Past

[Voices in Head

(Thoughts)

physical feeling & various sounds & descriptions

* * *

Inuhime walked through the forest. The moon was gone, so she had to hide. She wasn't sure why, she just knew she had to hide during the new moon.

She thought about what had happened today. "I can't remember anything from before that room… Except my name…" She clenched her fists. "And that I'm a half demon… And now I find out I'm a priestess?!" She sighed. "But really, when is now?"

Inuhime came to a great tree. "This tree… I've never seen it before… So why do I feel like I've been here?" She looked at her hand. "My claws are gone…"

Hearing a noise, Inuhime ran behind the tree. Then she froze, and fell to the ground. She could hear something...

A great pain was in her shoulder.

["INUYASHA!"

(Whose voice is that?)

["Ki- Kikyo…"

(INUYASHA's VOICE!!!)

Kikyo's Voice["How dare you…The Jewel…For such a thing…"

["Please sister…We have to take care of you…"

(a child?)

Kikyo's Voice["I will not live. Listen well, Kaede…"

(The old Woman?!)

["Take this and BURN it with my remains. It must never…Fall into the wrong hands again!"

the pain in her shoulder vanished

Kikyo's Voice[(I shall take this jewel with me… To the world beyond!)

inuhime's skin began to burn

"NO!" Inuhime screamed, falling to her knees and clutching her body. "NO NO NO-"

Then she fell silent.

[(A boy?)

(Who is that?)

["Um… Are you o.k.? Hello…?"

(That voice…)

[(Those… aren't human ears… Suddenly… I want to touch them…)

Inuhime could feel soft fur on her fingers for the next few moments

[(Although I know its no time or place to…)

Inuhime looked at her clawless, shaking hands. "What is this..!" She fell limp.

Inuyasha's Voice["Why Toy with second-raters like mistress centipede?"

(Inuyasha?)

["Huh…? Wh-who are you…?" (It…he talked)

(That girl's voice again…)

["Destroy her with a single blast, Kikyo! After all…you did it to me."

(Kikyo? But she was…)

["'Kikyo'…? WHOA WHOA WHOA! My name's…"

(What? Your name's WHAT?!)

InuYasha's Voice["She's coming."

["What…?" (She doesn't know?)

["Tis Time! Draw!"

thud of arrows on flesh was heard

(Village men..?)

[I'm… I'm saved…

(Saved from what?!)

Inuyasha's Voice["Really, Kikyo… I'm disappointed…"

["Listen, you—I don't know who this 'Kikyo' is…Except that she's NOT me!"

(If that's not kikyo, then who..?)

Inuyasha's Voice["Feh! Do you expect me to believe that I wouldn't know the stench of the girl who…hm? You're… NOT her…!"

(Ok, not Kikyo – kikyo is dead – I get that, but WHO IS THAT GIRL?!?!?!)

["Get it now? My name's Kagome! Ka…Go…Me!" (Ka-Kagome!!! That's who they think I am!!!)

Inuyasha's Voice["I'm a fool. After all, Kikyo looked intelligent…and pretty." (Huh?)

Kagome's Voice["You…!"

(Why do I feel angry now…)

Inuhime felt someone pulling her backwards. She screamed, but she didn't make a sound… only more voices and that girl's… Kagome's… scream. Then she felt like she was gripping and holding onto someone's hair for dear life and something else tried to tear her away.

Kagome's Voice["LET…ME…GO!"

Inuyasha's Voice["YOU let ME go!"

["This body..Is so weak… I will devour you whole… shikon jewel and all…" (who-what-is that?! Wait, Inuyasha said something about a "Mistress Centipede"… So…)

Kagome's Voice["No…"

Inuyasha's Voice["The shikon jewel?"

Kagome's Voice["GET AWAY!! Uh…?!

The grip let go of her

Kagome's Voice[This happened…in the well too…How am I able…to do such things..?

(What happened? I don't understand… what things?)

Mistress Centipede's Voice["VILE THING!"

"!!!" Inuhime felt the fangs of some thing dig into her side. She opened her eyes and saw the blood gush from the bite though nothing was there to bite her. Out with the blood came a broken jewel.

Mistress Centipede["I knew, I knew, I knew you were hiding it!"

Inuyasha's Voice["That jewel is mine!"

Kagome's Voice["What…?"

Inuyasha's Voice["Give it to me!"

Inuhime suddenly felt like she was being squished against a tree.

Mistress Centipede["heh heh heh heh… 'Inu-Yasha who seeks the shikon jewel…' I have heard of a half demon by such a name…"

Kagome's Voice['half demon'…? Him?!

Inuyasha's Voice[Don't insult me, mistress centipede. If I'd wanted, our meeting would've been very short…and your last.

Kagome's Voice["Hay. You TALK pretty big, but can you DO anything… EXCEPT talk?!"

Mistress Centipede["You cannot move, can you demon boy? That's quite a spell your under. All you can do now…is watch!"

Inuyasha's Voice["No! It's MINE!"

Mistress Centipede["Ahhh… Such power… Such JOY…"

Kagome's Voice[she's happy?!!

the tightness of her being squished increased. It became harder to breath.

Kagome's Voice[I'm going to die here… crushed by a…

Inuyasha's Voice[hay. This arrow, can you pull it out?

Kagome's Voice[what…?!

Kaede's Voice["You must NOT!! That arrow contains the spell! You must not set him free!"

Inuyasha's Voice["And what do you want, witch?! To become a centipede's dessert?!

Once her body digests the jewel of 4 souls…none of us will be able to stop here!

Well, girl?!! Do you want to die here with me?!"

Kagome's Voice[(No…I won't die…not in this…stinking HELL!) LIVE AGAIN, INUYASHA!!

Inuhime lay on the forest floor, totally knocked out. But she wasn't there at sunrise…


	3. Puppy VS Tough Love: OMFG

"What has he brought this time?"

"Great, another female. Can't he think of anything but-"

"Hay! Not so loud! Do you know what he does to-"

"Look! She's waking up…"

"Please can we eat her?"

"Do you want to be dog meat? If Koga comes back and finds out you ate his woman-"

"I am NOBODIES woman!"

"Holy mother of – she grew dog ears!"

Inuhime rubbed her head, still a little groggy. "What? Its not like I don't have them when I'm sleeping…" she sat up. "Now then…"

Inuhime grabbed the closest man by the neck and dragged him down to her. Pinning him under her with her outstretched claws, she glared at the wolf demon tribe. "Tell me- where the hell am I and who brought me here?!"

There was a clapping heard from behind the crowd. "Bravo, Kagome! For a mortal to-" The crowd parted as Koga came towards Inuhime. He stopped dead in his tracks, mid clap. "Your- Your-"

"That's right, idiot: I'm NOT Kagome! I don't even know Kagome so why don't you stop acting like Inuyasha and call me by MY name?!" Inuhime dug her claws just under her captives skin. Then she suddenly let him go, transfixed by something.

"What are those shards? In your limbs…" She stood up, pulling out the still chipped Shikon no Tama. She held it before her, comparing it to Koga's.

"Ha! I knew it! You have Shikon no Tama shards! Gimme them! There suppose to be mine anyway!" Inuhime held out her hand. Koga slapped it.

"And why do you say that?!" Koga yelled, angry. He leaned forward, getting closer to Inuhime with each breath. "You barge into MY clan, cut one of MY brothers, and then expect me to just give you the Jewel Shards I wouldn't even give to…"

He stopped. Inuhime continued to glair at him. He sniffed. "Kagome?! Kagome, Kagome, you smell like Kagome! Why do you smell like my woman?!"

Inuhime clenched her fists. "For the last time – I AM NOT YOUR WOMAN!" She slapped him so hard he went flying into the crowd, slamming them all against the cavern wall with a crash.

"I don't know who Kagome is! Why does everyone keep calling me Kagome?! My name is Inuhime Ayame, Koga of the Wolf Demon Tribe! You had better shape up, because I'm not going to-"

Koga stood up and started laughing. "Ha! So, you're not Kagome, ha? Well, you sure act like her! Well, you obviously have Kagome's shard seeking abilities, and your just as pretty…"

"What did you-? Hum?" Inuhime dashed out of the cave.

"Hay, wait up!" Koga followed.

"KOGA YOU LECHEROUS WELP! I'LL-"

"You'll what, mutt face?" Koga sneered. "Give me back my woman!"

"Ha! So you tracked Kagome down even to her reincarnation, have you?" Inuyasha raised the Tetsuiga an inch. "Well, so what? You didn't get her before and you won't have her now!"

"Reincarnation..?" Koga stared at Inuhime. "You're a half demon..?"

"Dee dee-dee! Congratulations, CAPTIAN OVIOUS! You win an ass kicking!" Inuyasha and Inuhime said at the same time.

Inuhime lunged forward. "Nobody talks about me when I'm here and gets away with it!" She grabbed the Tetsuiga and slashed at Koga. "WIND SCAR!" The blast flew at Koga. He jumped out of the way.

"What the hell?!" He breathed, aw stricken.

"What the hell do you think your doing?! GIVE ME BACK MY SWORD YOU THIEVING-"

"SIT!"

"I will not let him get away, so shut up and let me at him!" Inuhime jumped for Koga and swung. "WIND SCAR! WIND SCAR! HOLD STILL YOU PERVERTED FUR BAG! WIND SCAR!" Inuhime was following Koga jump for jump.

"Oh, my sweet hybrid beauty!" Koga called behind him to her. "My beloved! Will you marry me?!"

Inuyasha fell over. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING YOU IDIOT SHE'S TRYING TO KILL YOU!"

"YOU JUST DON'T KNOW SEXY MUTT FACE!" Koga yelled back. Inuhime used the opportunity to close some distance. Now in front of him, she smiled crookedly. "Hello, honey," she said, preparing to attack. Koga froze at the word 'Honey'

"Pucker…" Inuhime pulled back her fist, "…UP!" she let go full in the face, sending Koga flying upward.

"I LOVE YOU INUHIME!!!!!" He yelled as he rocketed into the sky.

Inuhime landed, her back to the Wolf Tribe. "Any one else want some?" She asked coolly, covered in sweat, with her right fist lightly coated in blood from Koga's nose. The tribe backed up as one and went running to find Koga.

"That was…" Inuyasha began.

Inuhime prepared for a compliment

"…THE MOST IDIOTIC STUNT I EVER SAW!!! YOU COULD HAVE LOST MY SWORD YOU BITCH!"

"You want your sword so bad? Then…" Inuhime raised it, blunt end to Inuyasha, "…TAKE IT! SIT!" She slammed the blunt end of the sword down on Inuyasha head, where upon a big lump grew. Then the 'SIT' sent him into the ground and she stuck the sword into it right in front of his face.

"Damn it to hell… Now Kagome has a better arm and a worse temper…" Inuyasha muttered to his sword.

"I heard that! I'm NOT KAGOME! SIT!"

"OWWWW!"


	4. What was Bound to Happen

Inuhime walked down the road, Inuyasha calling after her.

"Kagome!"

"I'm not Kagome…"

"Kagome!"

"I'm not Kagome..!"

"Kagome!"

"I'm not Kagome!"

"KAGOME!"

"I'M NOT KAGOME!!!"

"Kagom-"

"SIT!"

"OWWWWW! YOU BITCH!"

"SIT!"

"OWWWWWWWWW!"

Shippo sighed. "Are those two ever going to stop?"

"Not likely…" Sango replied.

"Kagome…"

Inuhime turned around abruptly. Inuyasha cringed.

"Inuyasha… What is my name..?" Inuhime's eyes were almost feverish with rage.

"Um…" Inuyasha gulped. Then he shook his head. "Look, all I wanna know is why you could use the Tetsuiga, that's all!"

Inuhime thought back to her attack on Koga.

"_WIND SCAR! WIND SCAR! HOLD STILL YOU PERVERTED FUR BAG! WIND SCAR!"_

Inuhime replied. "Cause I have mad skills."

"Don't you mean you're just 'mad'?" Inuyasha leered over his shoulder.

Inuhime froze. "S-I-T, Inuyasha… What does that spell?"

Inuyasha flinched.

"SIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Inuyasha twitched at the bottom of a 6 foot deep hole. Inuhime jumped down and sat on him.

"Get off me!" Inuyasha howled. He started clawing at her, but she detained his arms without much trouble.

"Why?" Inuhime asked slyly. "I can't be that heavy to such a big man like you…"

"Well, its not my fault your fat- OWWW!" Inuhime bit his ear.

"That's no way to get me to do what you want…"

:UP ABOVE:

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo sipped tea. They had no intention of interfering and were about to move ahead before nightfall.

* * *

:NIGHTFALL:

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo are gone, content in an inn in the next town.

Inuyasha and Inuhime…

"Get off me…"

"Why should I do that?"

"Urrrg…"

"Hee hee hee! Hum?" Inuhime snapped to attention, her eyes going out of focus. She jumped out of the hole and started walking toward the woods.

"OWW! Damn it when I told you to get off that is NOT what I ment!" Inuyasha lay in his hole for a moment. Then his face softened.

"Kagome?" The wind howled in answer. "Kagome?! Kagome answer me!" Inuyasha started struggling to get up. "KAGOME!!!" He jumped out of the hole and looked around franticly.

* * *

:BACK TO INUHIME:

Inuhime slowly followed some sixth sense, like a call to her soul. She made her was through the woods. Then…

"GAAH!" A ghost like serpent with a dragonic head clutching a glowing ball of light went by her. "What the hell? Is that a… soul?"

Inuhime raced after the thing, and it was soon joined by more of its kind. The all eventually reached a pond. On its banks stood a figure that absorbed the souls.

Inuhime prepared herself. "Who are you?"

The figure turned. "I am a priestess. My name is Kikyo."

At first taken aback, Inuhime laughed. "You think I'm stupid? The Priestess known as Kikyo has been dead for over 50 years!"

"I told you who I am – what you believe is irrelevant. Who then are you?"

Inuhime grimaced. "I'm Inuhime Ayame."

"I see. Why do you hold the sacred jewel?"

"I guard it. Got a problem with that?"

"What do you mean, 'you guard it'?"

Inuhime snorted a laugh."You claim to be Kikyo. Kikyo guarded the jewel before she died. She had her younger sister burn the jewel with her remains. Kikyo took it with her to the world beyond, and her reincarnation brought it back. I have taken the job of guarding the jewel after this Kagome girl disappeared."

Kikyo seemed to stiffen. "Kagome is gone? Well, poor Inuyasha… Good riddance in my opinion. Now, give me the jewel. It is not meant for demons, even half demons."

Inuhime frowned. "I am the jewels protector, this job given to me by Kikyo's sister Kaede – YOU WILL NOT TAKE IT FROM ME!"

Kikyo flinched. "How? How can you- you-" She grabbed her bow and drew an arrow. "What ARE you? You have… Holy powers… A priestess' holy powers… Did you kill my sister for hers? ANSWER ME!"

Inuhime snorted. "Me, kill that sweet old lady? Not on your life! She never hurt me none! Do you smell her blood on me? No, I guess you don't…" She lunged. "Since your not really ALIVE!"

Kikyo fired her sacred arrow.

"I can smell it – your nothing but dirt – from some graveyard!" Inuhime caught the arrow and threw it back at her.

"Impossible! No demon can touch my arrows without pain!"

"Well then, I guess your slipping!" Inuhime slashed at Kikyo. But before impact…

"KIKYO!" A red blur and Kikyo was far to Inuhime's right.

"Inuyasha! Why did you…" two voices range out,

"Save her?!" Inuhime yelled.

"Save me?!" Kikyo gasped.

Inuyasha jumped away from Kikyo. "Heh… I guess I just can't help myself…" He turned to Inuhime. "Inuhime, get out of here!"

"Inuyasha!!!" Inuhime started.

Then she was moving. "Inuyasha, put me down…"

"No way! This is payback for sitting on me. I'm not putting you down until we find Sango and Miroku."

To Inuyasha's surprise, Inuhime didn't complain.


	5. Castle and Demon: Fears and Pain

Inuhime was quiet. It made Inuyasha nervous.

"What are you scheming now…" He whispered. "Inuhime… Hum?" Inuyasha looked at Inuhime over the fire. She looked different. Where were her…

"Inuhime!" He lunged.

"…sit…"

Inuyasha was slammed onto the fire.

Inuhime turned. He could clearly see it now: Inuhime was mortal! Her demon blood was subdued in her sleep!

Inuyasha suddenly remembered he was on the fire! He jumped up. "Hot! Hot! Hotter than hot!"

"Hay!" Piped Myoga, "That's my line!"

"What do you want, ya bug?" Inuyasha sighed.

"You can't go into the castle up ahead… It's crawling with evil things. I've heard that the villages nearby send sacrifices of beautiful women to keep it appeased…"

"Did someone say 'Beautiful Women'?" Miroku asked.

"You want to go?" Inuyasha asked grinning. "It sounds like a good workout!"

"Lets," Sanga chimed in. "Evil is something I prefer vanquished."

Miroku smiled, blushing.

"Oh no…" Sango sighed.

"Pervert!" Inuhime screamed. Miroku was sent flying into Inuyasha.

"Miroku, a word of advice – when human girls you feel up leave red marks, don't feel up a half-demon." Inuyasha said. "Now GET OFF ME!"

* * *

The great double doors swung inward. Inuyasha, then Inuhime, then Miroku, then Sango and Kirara and Shippo.

"This place is c-c-c-creepy!" Shippo stammered.

"Stop your whining. Nobody asked you to come…" Inuyasha kept scanning the area.

"WwwHhhOoo AaaRrrEee YyyOooUuu???" A weird voice echoed through the misty air. "YyyOooUuu BbbRrrIiiNnnGgg SssAaaCccRrrIiiFffIiiCccEeeSss!!!"

Darkness crept upon them. When sight was finally usable, Inuhime and Sango were gone.

"INUHIME!!!" Inuyasha growled in rage.

"SANGO!!!" Miroku ran around frantic.

"**INUHIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**

* * *

Inuhime opened her eyes to find she couldn't move. "Damn it…" She looked around. She was stuck from the shoulders down in the bulging reddish-brown wall of a room. Sango was hanging from the ceiling upside down, wriggling like a worm as she was lowered toward a cauldron of something that fumed green smoke. Sango was crying from fear at whatever she was looking at in that cauldron. Inuhime could hear her muffled screams.

A deep laugh echoed in her ears. "Ah! The sight of a woman in fright fills me with joy! Look at that helpless struggling – my stew of fears works well!"

A handsome man stepped out of the shadows. He was wearing demon armor the color of the night sky, and his white hair billowed behind him. "I so love my life. Fear is so delicious!"

He walked over to Sango. She didn't seem to notice him. "Yes little girl, breath in my fumes of panic, let the fear consume you… once your completely submerged in the potion I can feed off you…"

He turned to Inuhime. "You… I cannot find your fear… Is it… Worms?" Worms began to come out of the wall that covered her body. She didn't take her eyes off the Fear Demon. "No? Well then… why don't we try pain?"

"Demon of Fear, I challenge you." Inuhime said slowly. "Let my friend go. In return, I will not fight back. I'm a half demon – I will last longer than her, and can withstand more without death…"

The Fear Demon seemed to smile. "You… fear for others? Well, why not? I'll play with you. Until you die, I will not even go near your friend…"

He snapped his fingers and Sango was swung into the wall to reappear in Inuhime's situation – stuck. "Now I will feed of your fear that you will not last forever! Hee hee hee…"

Inuhime way rushed out into the middle of the room. The wall that entombed her laved her on her back as it made a table of itself. The fear demon cracked its knuckles.

Sango wok up at her first cries of pain. The fear demon had broken Inuhime's left femur.

Sango screamed and thrashed against the wall that held her when he broke Inuhime's other femur. He broke her arms, then admired his handiwork as she fought the pain and eased into silence. Then he clapped his hands. The table she was attached to began slowly bending her backwards until…

"_**INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**_ Inuhime screamed as her back broke. Then she was silent except for the faint but harsh rush of her breath.


	6. Pain and Blood

"_**INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"**_

"Inuhime!" Inuyasha raced blindly through the misty air, Miroku at his heals. "That was Inuhime… I'm Coming!"

"But Inuyasha," Miroku gasped, winded from the running. "We don't know… Where she… is!"

"I know now… She's underground. The cellar is probably the way in." Inuyasha turned around a corner and ripped the cellar doors off the hinges. He covered his nose with the sleeve of his kimono. "Damn. The smell of blood, sweet, and… Gha!" He jumped back. "HOLY MOTHER OF-"

"Stay away from her!"

"No! Sango!" Miroku raced through the cellar doors that Sango's voice had come from. He looked around. "Ah! Sango!" Running over to where Sango was stuck in the wall, he blushed. "Oh, man, you let the wall feel you up but not-"

"GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER AND GET ME OUT OF THIS WALL YOU PERVERTED MONK!!!" Sango fumed. Miroku started to pull on the wall by gripping the bulges around Sango.

"That will do you no good…"

Miroku turned. "Who are you?"

"I am Yuukumaru, the Demon of Fear. I see you know my meal. Have you come to steal it for yourself?" Yuukumaru waved his hand and the walls enveloped Miroku. "Usually I don't like men but I'm not picky!" He cackled.

"Women are so free with their emotions: show them what they fear and the screams come in a flood. But men, now, men just refuse to scream in fear. Pain they don't care, but a man's scream in utter fear is so rare in this world."

Yuukumaru grabbed Miroku's face. "Will you give me a rarity and scream in fear, little human? I would love it so…"

"EAT THIS!" Inuyasha slashed off Yuukumaru's arm that way holding Miroku. It kept its grip for a moment, then fell to the floor and melted into nothing.

"How Rude! Half-breed, how DARE you attack me!" Yuukumaru turned red in the face. He pointed the palm of his hand at a table made out of the same stuff as the walls. "Revitalize me! If you won't scream in fear, pain will work just as well! SCREAM!" He clenched his fists.

"_**NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"**_

"Inuhime!" Inuyasha ran for Inuhime whom was welded to the table. Yuukumaru sent him flying. Inuyasha lost hold of his sword. He bounced off the wall and landed on his stomach, trembling.

Yuukumaru stepped on Inuyasha's head and pushed. "You must learn your place, half-breed…" he said with a wild look in his eyes.

Yuukumaru kicked Inuyasha, sending him flying into the opposite wall with a crash. One of Inuyasha's ribs cracked. He landed in a heap by his sword.

Yuukumaru's arm re-grew. It came out of his shoulder with a squelch of blood. He licked his bloody fingers. "Now…" Yuukumaru stabbed Inuyasha through the shoulder.

Inuyasha laughed. "You idiot! Now I'll just…" He grabbed his sword with the other hand (which was closest to the sword anyway) "…Cut off you head! TETSUIGA!"

Yuukumaru screamed as his head went flying. "This isn't the end! I will be back 'Inuyasha' who wields the Tetsuiga! Mark my-" His body and head vanished in a wisp of blackness. The walls hissed and fell away. The table collapsed on itself like a pile of jelly. Inuyasha ran to it.

"Inuhime! Inuhime say something!" He shook her slightly. Her head bobbed. Inuhime's breathing was shallow.

"Inuyasha, don't move her!" Sango whined. "Yuukumaru broke her arms and legs…"

Inuyasha stopped, then turned. Miroku bent down on Inuhime's other side, leaning on his staff.

"I'll carry her to the village. You run ahead for Lady Kaede. With four broken limbs, Inuhime can't go far."

"Not… on… my… watch… perv…" Inuhime rasped. Inuyasha smiled.

"Miroku, your right. We can't move Inuhime too much or her bones won't set right. Even as a half demon, the bones need to be set. Here, carry her…"

Inuyasha lifted Inuhime's mangled body out of the slime that was once her prison.

"_**NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"**_

Inuyasha froze, holding her like she might break.

"Ehh… ehh… ehh… My… my back…" Inuhime panted softly, then she coughed blood.

"He broke her back too?" Inuyasha looked down with pity. Then his expression became malicious.

"The bastard… If he ever comes back I'll…" Inuyasha turned a little, careful to be smooth.

"Miroku, we can't take her out of this castle. You stay here and guard her while I fetch the old hag." Inuyasha slowly walked out of the cellar and up to the actual castle. He went to the big bedchamber and softly laid Inuhime on the bed.

"Ehh… ehh… ehh… Inu… ya… sha…" Inuhime coughed weakly.

"Don't worry," Inuyasha said, smiling a little. "I'll come back, then you'll feel better…" He ran off.

* * *

A little away from the castle, Inuyasha fell to one knee. "Ugh… Damn, I lost too much blood… Damn it body don't give out on **me!!!**"

He went forward to Kaede's… Then collapsed in the road.


	7. A Restless Sickbed

Shippo ran in front of Kaede. "Hurry! Everybody could be in a lot of- OOF!" Shippo fell backward, rubbing his head. He felt something wet.

"What?" Shippo looked at his hands. "BLOOD!" He jumps up and started running back and forth.

"EWW! I'M COVERED IN BLOOD! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!!! WAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

He ran into the thing again. He sniffed. "Inu…yasha?" He looked down at himself again.

"AAAAAH! INUYASHA'S BLEEDING! I'M COVERED IN INUYASHA'S BLOOD! HE"S GONNA DIE!!! GET IT OFF GET IT OFF GET IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Shippo ran loops around Kaede until she stopped him by stepping on his head.

"How be ye, Inuyasha?"

"Bite…me…"

"Come now, this be no time for such words! Where be Kagome?"

"Inu…hime…castle…hurry…"

Kaede made clucking sounds. "Fool… Come, Shippo, help me haul him to yon castle. Seems whatever drove ye off to find me is passed." She grabbed Inuyasha's foot and started dragging him down the way he came.

Shippo turned into a walking table and carried the rest behind Kaede.

"Eww… Inuyasha's bleeding all over me!!! Yuck yuck yuck I DON'T WANNA SMELL LIKE HALF DEMON BLOOD!!!!!!!!!"

"Calm ye self down, Shippo. We will clean you up upon our arrival."

Shippo whined.

* * *

Kaede came out of Inuhime's room.

"She will heal. Had a mere mortal taken such damage, life would have faded long ago. But she be strong. Time and rest be all that's needed."

Sango sighed with relief. "What about Inuyasha?"

"I moved him to a room on the other side of the castle. Should either cry out in pain, I feel it best the other not be disturbed."

Sango stood up. "All right, I'll go and check on him. Can you watch Inuhime?"

Kaede nodded. "T' won't be hard watching one who cannot move."

Miroku watched Sango walk away. When she was out of sight…

"Lady Kaede, let ME watch Inuhime. You need rest yourself." Miroku nudged Kaede toward another bedroom.

"But yon girl-"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't hurt herself. And I'll even feed her when she wakes up. Now, you rest up." Miroku got her through the doorway.

"But-" Miroku closed the door and went back to Inuhime's room. Kaede sighed. "Well, he be a monk, how much trouble can he cause caring for an invalid?"

* * *

Miroku closed Inuhime's door, blushing like a man about to see porn. He put his hand to his mouth. "Hee hee hee! Now I get to have Inuhime all to myself!" He beamed as he crossed the room.

Miroku started inching his had up Inuhime's leg. "Just a little more…" He whispered once it went under her skirts. "Almost there…"

"What the hell are you doing?"

Miroku snatched his hand away and backed to the wall, scared as heck. "Inu- Inuhime! Heh heh heh… What are you doing here?"

Inuhime scowled. "I can't move you idiot. Stay the hell away from me!"

Miroku got up, smiling. "But how can I stay away? Your so…" He put his hand on her leg again. "Lovely…"

Inuhime growled. "You wanna keep that hand?"

Miroku shivered. "I'll guard you from outside the door…" He left.

Inuhime sighed. "Perv…OW!"

Myoga giggled hysterically from Inuhime's neck. "FINALLY! Delicious blood and you CAN'T HIT ME! Ehh hee hee hee!" He kept on sucking.

Old Lady Shoga hopped onto Inuhime's nose. "Do you vouch for this?" She asked.

Inuhime glared. "If I could move my arms, your fiancée would be a flea-pancake!" She snarled.

Shoga nodded, and tore Myoga off her neck.

Myoga giggled feverishly all the way out the door. "Blood! Delicious blood! Wonderful blood!" He was as fat as a coconut, shaking with each "MHEEE".

Inuhime sighed. "Can't I get mangled and recuperate in peace? Is that _too much to ask for?!_"

"Inuhime!" Shippo called from the hallway.

"GOD DAMN IT!!!"


	8. Healed to be Hurt

Stories InuHime can bitch about

Inuhime staggered across the tatami floor. She gasped for breath, sweat dotting her body.

"So weak…" she wheezed, leaning against the wall. Inuhime sank to the ground, breathing hard. "My… My body… It's so weak…" She coughed, and froze when drops of blood sparkled on her hand.

Suddenly, Inuhime convulsed, clutching her chest. Her breath came out ragged, and seemed to stop.

"Can't- Breath-!" Her heart was failing. Inuhime tried to call for help.

"Inuyasha!!" Inuhime shot out of bed, covered in sweat. She blinked, looked around, then realized she was sitting up.

"Feeling better, I see," Kaede said, smiling. "Ye slept for a time. Ye seem different in thy sleep, ye know…"

Inuhime tried to stand up. She got to her feet, then collapsed. Falling to her knees, Inuhime felt her stiff and sore muscles protest. She cringed, her head throbbing.

"Don't push thyself, child. Broken limbs be bad enough, but ye had thy back spanned as well. Give thyself time!" Kaede poured tea for herself, and sipped it.

"I'm- I'm fine…" Inuhime stood up again, and stayed up after a little wobbling. She gritted her teeth at the strain, and smiled. "See! I'm ok now! Don't worry!"

"And why shouldn't we worry?" A voice came from the doorway.

Inuyasha came in, arms in sleeves. "You got so mangled the slightest movement made you scream your guts out – and you're half demon! Geez, don't you know when to rest?"

Inuhime turned to him. "Like you're one to talk!"

Inuyasha growled. "I never had my limbs AND back broken!"

Inuhime growled back. "So? You've had you eye plucked out, your chest torn apart, AND lost enough blood to fill a lake!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Not all at once ya idiot!"

Inuhime fumed. "Whatever!" She pushed past him.

"And where do you think your going?!" Inuyasha barked.

"For a walk," Inuhime snarled over he shoulder.

Inuhime stalked out off the castle grounds. She seethed with humiliation. As Inuhime came up to a nearby tree, she leaned against it.

Inuhime clutched her chest. "So week… But my heart won't really give out… Will it?" She looked at her hand… And coughed blood.

Inuhime's eyes widened, and she froze. _'NO!'_ She thought, _'I'm half demon! I can't die from heart failure! I CAN'T!!'_

Inuhime threw herself up, and started running. She didn't know which way she was going, though she knew it was away from the castle. Stumbling a little, Inuhime ran into the forest nearby.

The clouds passed through the moonless sky.

Sesshomaru went his way, following a hunch. "Jakan, didn't you say that Inuyasha was wounded by a demon near here?"

"Ye-Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jakan exclaimed, stumbling forward. He turned to face his master. "That mongrel Inuyasha was stabbed through by a Demon of Fear. Apparently, he's holding up in the Demon's castle until fully healed."

Sesshomaru focused on a distant target. It was his way of smiling. _'Perfect,'_ he thought, _'I'll wait for the Tetsuiga to come to me…'_

Sesshomaru decided to find a more pleasant place to wait. He did not expect his so-called half-brother to recover any time soon. So, might as well make himself comfortable.

A series of loud noises drew Sesshomaru's curiosity. He looked around as he came around a large tree…

And was thrown to the side by something large and brittle. It broke in two and left a dirty bruise on his left cheek. He went backward into a larger tree, breaking it into a messy splintered stump. Dust flew everywhere.

Sesshomaru stood up, mortified, though he didn't show it. He was all dirty, and had a bruise on his cheek – and he hadn't even seen it coming! Keeping a calm and unruffled appearance (he had the greatest poker face), Sesshomaru looked a little from side to side.

The first thing he saw was a mountain of golden fur. The thing had it's back to him, but Sesshomaru could see the dibree go flying as it ripped the landscape to shreds. The wind shifted, so the thing was no longer downwind of him. The thick smell of Demon wavered off the monster.

'_Strange,'_ he thought, analyzing it, _'It's smell clings to it's body… Not even the sharpest of noses could have smelled it from farther than arms length… How odd…'_

"You stuck me…" Sesshomaru said, raising his poisoned claw, "And so I will return the favor…" He lunged for the great golden beast before him.

The beast turned, and Sesshomaru stopped dead.

The thing was a great golden dog at least as large as Sesshomaru's true form. It had gleaming fangs that seemed to be made of the hardest and sharpest diamond. It's ears perked toward him, then bent back. Sesshomaru found himself staring at his own reflection in the great ocean blue eyes.

Sesshomaru was seized by a great power coming from those eyes. He couldn't move. He felt a sharp pain in the stump of his severed left arm, though the only sign that he felt it was a slight squint of his eyes. Something protruded through his right sleeve. Red seeped through the white cloth.

Sesshomaru flexed his regenerated right arm.

He looked back up at the gold dog. "How nice of you to give me my arm back. But it won't spare you…" Now able to move, Sesshomaru morphed into his true form.

The wind blew the hair off the two demon dogs, each growling low and threateningly. The gold one was the first to attack. Sesshomaru countered with a bite. Poison oozed into the golden fur of the other demon's right shoulder, as diamond shredded Sesshomaru's silvery back. Sesshomaru bit down harder to compensate for the damage done to his body. The two broke apart.

Sesshomaru breathed hard, shaking off the great mess of blood off his raw and tattered back. The other demon dog licked the mess of blood off it's lips as it swallowed a little piece of raw meat. It seemed to grin, as if saying, "I love free food," or, "Thanks for the gift," then fell to the ground with a thud.

Sesshomaru was about to morph back when it got up again. The demonic power seemed to radiate off it. Sesshomaru lunged. The other demon dodged as gracefully as any cat, getting a good grip on his neck in the process. The diamond teeth dug in.

'_Such power… Such grace… Such demonic energy…'_ Sesshomaru thought as he too bit into his foe's neck. _'The stamina… the will… the pride…'_ He sniffed a little as something caught his attention. _'And it's… female…'_

If his mouth wasn't full, Sesshomaru would have smiled. _'A perfect mate…'_

Sesshomaru dug in for the kill. The demoness fell back, and lunged herself. She was loaded with so much of his poison Sesshomaru secretly marveled how she could still stand, let alone fight. He dodged, she caught his tail. He took hers.

The two fought, blow for blow, on equal terms, till sunrise.

Jakan and Rin found their lord bloodied and torn to pieces, his skin ragged, yet with both arms in tact. He was glairing at a human girl, only slightly less damaged. Green poison seeped out of her many wounds.

Jakan couldn't believe that the girl was still alive.


	9. Not Inuyasha

Inuhime slowly opened her eyes

Inuhime slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was a slight pressure on her stomach. She looked down. A green imp in a brown outfit was ogling her. He looked like she had grown horns. He tumbled head over heals down over her legs and jerked toward a turn in the cave.

"M-M-MASTER SESSHOMARU!!" Squealed the imp as he rounded the bend. Inuhime blinked.

She saw that she was in a cave, covered with a rough yellow blanket. A small lantern was a little ways to her left. The only other source of light was from the distant way, flickering around the corner that the imp has gone by.

The imp's shrill voice (had even more so by alarm) was babbling almost incoherently. As it started to get louder again, two pairs of footsteps escorted the approaching light.

"And-And-And her hair turned gold! It did master! Her scent changed too! And-And-"  
"Quiet, Jakan," cut off the Imp (Jakan)'s voice. Inuhime thought it sounded familiar.

Inuhime saw a silloette of long hair in a flowing kimono with a sword on it's hip. She hastily stood up, then sank back down as she realized that she was virtually naked under the blanket. Wrapping it around herself, she reddened slightly.

"What the hell did you do with my cloths," Inuhime growled as the dog eared person came within arms length of her, "...Inuyasha?!"

"HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE MY MASTER OF BEING THAT HALF-BREED WRETCH!! I'll-" The imp sputtered, flailing. A raised arm silenced him.

"I said quiet, Jakan," the figure said cooly. Jakan froze, then eased into composure.

Inuhime studied the man before her. He was clean and white, with demon marks on his face and a crescent moon.

The demon grabbed her chin, and turned her head from side to side. The examination was humiliating.

Inuhime slapped his hand away. "Don't you know how to respect 'personal space'?" The guy took no notice that anything had happened. He continued to stair at her with level eyes.

"What the hell is WRONG with you, Inuyasha?! And where the hell are we anyway?" The guy continued to stair at her. It pissed her off. "Inu-"

"I'm not Inuyasha," came the level remark, cutting Inuhime off.

"Oh?" Inuhime spat, "Then who are you?"

"I am Sesshomaru."

"Sessho...Maru..?" Inuhime seemed to space out to him. What happened was his name set off an explosion of Kagome's memories of him off in her head. Inuhime almost fell over.

When she finally shook those memories away, Inuhime started freaking out. She snatched at Sesshomaru's left arm so fast he didn't even bother to try stopping her. She pushed up the sleeve, and examined it.

When Inuhime couldn't find the attaching scar where Sesshomaru's flesh would join with another being's arm, she studied his left hand. To her astonishment, poison claws were present as if they had always been.

Inuhime jumped back. "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GROW YOUR FUCKING ARM BACK?!"

Sesshomaru looked at his right arm. "So you don't remember..." Sesshomaru turned to leave.

"HAY! YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION!" Inuhime roared at him. She made to grab him. She clawed his back.

...Sesshomaru collapsed from raw pain.


	10. Fluffy

Inuhime ran over to Sesshomaru almost as fast as Jakan.

"Master! MASTER!!" He cried, tearing. "Oh, my poor Master Sesshomaru! You're hurt because you went easy on this wench last night!" Jakan turned to her. "Well, don't just stand there, HELP ME!"

Inuhime looked at him like he was stupid.

Jakan flailed his arms. "It's YOUR fault that Master Sesshomaru is hurt! You're the one who looked so weak an opponent that he went easy on you last night out of sheer pity! YOU'RE the one who shredded his back like cheese! You're going to help him RECOVER!"

"...Quiet, Jakan..."

"Yes, master!" Jakan snapped to attention.

Inuhime sighed, then started to pick up Sesshomaru.

"...What are you doing..?" He asked, his voice hard.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Inuhime retorted. "I'm not so sure about that annoying little pest who calls you master, but you look like you could use a hand."

"Don't bother," Sesshomaru growled softly, a ting of ice in his voice. HE, of all people, did not need help - ESPECIALLY from a half demon girl.

"Save your breath, Fluffy!" Inuhime snapped. "I'm not going to walk around with a guilty fucking conscience just because a fucking big shot like you was too fucking proud to accept help! So stow it before I make damn sure you need help to breath!"

Sesshomaru pondered this response as he was ceremoniously dragged to Inuhime's former spot in the cave corner. '..."Fluffy"..?'

He was laid on his stomach. Inuhime began to rip off his cloths and armor. Jakan didn't approve.

"THE IMPUDENCE!" He screeched. "How dare you-"

"Quiet, Jakan," Sesshomaru and Inuhime said at the same time.

Jakan fainted from surprise.

Meanwhile, Inuhime got a good look at the damage. She hissed in sympathy. "Damn! You're lucky to be alive! You've got a big chunk bitten out of you're back muscles, and there are shards of glass imbedded everywhere!" She looked at his face. "How the hell did this happen?"

Sesshomaru pretended not to notice her. He pretended to be examining his sword. He drew the tensega out. As soon as Inuhime saw it, she snatched it out of his hands.

The closest thing to surprise that was ever going to come crossed Sesshomaru's face. Inuhime, without really knowing why, started slicing at Sesshomaru's back with the sword that couldn't cut.

Sesshomaru's thoughts raced. 'She's using the powers of the Fang to dig out the bits of Diamond that came off her teeth last night! By using the sword that will not cut, she avoids doing any more damage to the surrounding area while applying enough force to extract the shards!' He looked harder at her. '...Who is this girl?'

Inuhime whipped some sweat off her forehead. "I think that's the last of it. I'd wash it for you, but I don't have any water. And as a demon, you should naturally avoid infection... Here's your sword back..." Inuhime placed the sword by Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru sat up, and put his cloths and armor back on properly. He sat with his now rapidly healing back to the wall. '...Hmm... So that's why I was not recovering... Those shards had saliva on them... Saliva that kept my body from healing itself... Fascinating...'

Inuhime sat by sesshomaru on his right side. "So, Fluffy, feel better now?" She asked sarcastically.

Sesshomaru continued to gaze evenly at the opposite wall. "...Why do you call me 'Fluffy'?" He asked.

Inuhime giggled. "Because your tail is big and fluffy!" She answered, petting the big furry thing on Sesshomaru's shoulder. The fuzzy thing shuddered.

"...That's not my tail..." He said evenly.

Inuhime looked at him. "Then what is it?"

Sesshomaru looked back at her. "It's a parasitic demon. I've become dominant over it, so it does no harm. ...You could say it is my 'pet'..."

Inuhime touched it again. "A parasitic demon..?" It dawned on her. She jumped back.

"What's wrong?" Sesshomaru asked, puzzled by this reaction.

"It's a LEACH!" Inuhime squealed, grossed out. "You-You're WEARING a LEACH!!" She shuddered.

Sesshomaru looked at her, then he... smiled? Yes, it was a smile... A small one, but a smile none the less. It lasted for only a moment, and then it was gone, but it was there.

"Come here," he ordered. Inuhime edged closer.  
Suddenly the fuzzy thing leaped off Sesshomaru's shoulder and draped itself over Inuhime's. It vibrated while Inuhime froze. It eventually settled down and was still, though it's fluff moved in small waves. It was breathing.

"Call it a reward for not dying last night," Sesshomaru explained, "...Fluffy!"


	11. The Suspence

Inuyasha kept running back and forth around the campsite. "Where is she?! Where is She?! WHERE IS SHE?!" He roared. He kept going around, looking in all directions for a trace of Inuhime.

Miroku sighed. "And to think he's been like this since sunrise..."

Flashback Start

"I'm- I'm fine…" Inuhime stood up again, and stayed up after a little wobbling. She gritted her teeth at the strain, and smiled. "See! I'm o.k. now! Don't worry!"

"And why shouldn't we worry?" A voice came from the doorway.

Inuyasha came in, arms in sleeves. "You got so mangled the slightest movement made you scream your guts out – and you're half demon! Geez, don't you know when to rest?"

Inuhime turned to him. "Like you're one to talk!"

Inuyasha growled. "I never had my limbs AND back broken!"

Inuhime growled back. "So? You've had you eye plucked out, your chest torn apart, AND lost enough blood to fill a lake!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Not all at once ya idiot!"

Inuhime fumed. "Whatever!" She pushed past him.

"And where do you think your going?!" Inuyasha barked.

"For a walk," Inuhime snarled over he shoulder.

Inuyasha snorted. "Have it your way," he muttered. "I'm going to go take a nap. There isn't going to be a moon tonight..."

Kaede looked up at him. "Ay, the time when thy human blood overtakes ye... And ye plan on staying awake all night?" She shook her head. "Inuyasha, ye need to trust us more. Ye sleep through this night, and Sango and Miroku will help me watch over thee..."

Inuyasha looked at her. "And why should I trust you again?"

It was Kaede's turn to snort. "If I truly meant ye any harm, I'd have brought t ye to ruin while ye lay ill! Ye take me for a fool?!"

Inuyasha smirked. "Alright, old hag, you win! I'll sleep tonight off. And I'll sleep the day off too!" Inuyasha went to make himself comfortable. "...After I eat some Raman!" He went to sort through the pack that he had brought from Kagome's time. When he found Inuhime, he asked Kagome's family to get him some. "I love that stuff!"

Sango and Miroku sat around a fire they built in front of the castle door. "Lady Kaede asked us to guard Inuyasha during his time of mortal weakness..." Miroku began, "...But don't you think we could do something to pass the time..?" Miroku rubbed Sango's butt.

Sango slapped him so hard he went flying across the yard. "Pervert! Don't you take ANYTHING seriously?! Inuyasha's counting on us! If we let ANYTHING get to him tonight, he'll never trust us again!"

Miroku rubbed his cheek. "Aren't you blowing this out of proportion?"

Sango sighed. "No, I'm not. Inuyasha lived many years not trusting anybody. That is how he survived! He didn't have any friends to watch his back, and there were a lot of people who would have liked to see him dead. For Inuyasha to let US guard him while he is human, it is a sign of great trust." She glared at Miroku. "If we mess this up, he'll stop trusting!"

Miroku smiled slyly. "You're taking this so seriously so you can avoid being temped by me while the others are not around..." He laughed and blushed.

Sango blushed too, but she got angry. "Shut up!" She through a big piece of wood at him. It his him full in the face.

"Ow..." Miroku fell over.

Some time later, Sango and Miroku stood up at the same time, glaring in the same direction. Sango had her boomerang ready, and Miroku was prepared to unleash his Wind Tunnel.

"You sense that?" Miroku asked.

"Yes, a strong demonic energy coming from far that way..."

Miroku concentrated. "That's not just one demon.. There are two!"

Sango tensed. "Are they planning to attack us?" She concentrated. "They are not moving any closer..."

At that point, Shippo came flying in. He ran to hide behind Sango's leg. "WAAAH! Two really big demon dogs are fighting each other!! They're scary!"

Sango looked down at him. "They are fighting each other?" She asked, surprised.

Shippo sniffed. "Y-yeah... I was looking for Inuhime... And I found this huge gold dog demon! It had crystal like claws and teeth that were really sharp! It was tearing the place apart, so I ran... When I looked back, I saw another one! It was silver & looked angry..."

Miroku picked him up. "Shippo, did those two look like they were coming this way?"

Shippo shook his head. "They were so tangled up in each other... I think it's a fight to the death! There was blood everywhere..." Shippo shook, and closed his eyes.

Miroku smiled. "It's o.k. Shippo, they are not going to come here, right? So don't worry!" He smiled. Shippo smiled back, then went inside to get some sleep.

Sango and Miroku kept checking the dogfight until it's end at sunrise...

Inuyasha yawned. "Morning everyone! Where's Inuhime?"

Sango and Miroku looked at each other. "She didn't come back last night..." Miroku began.

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha screamed. He went tearing out of the gate and ran all over the fields around it. He sniffed and Sniffed until he came to an obvious battleground.

Inuyasha looked at the mess. "The damage is fresh, and the smell of blood is everywhere... There must have been a battle last night..."

He sniffed. "...Sesshomaru?! ...Damn, it's him, I know it! Sesshomaru was fighting here last night!" Inuyasha looked around, and sniffed again. "And from the smell of things, he got thrashed pretty bad..."

Inuyasha looked up at the sky. "If there is a demon who can make Sesshomaru bleed so bad, then..." He froze. "They might have the Shikon no Tama! And Inuhime was-" Inuyasha tried to find Inuhime's sent. But there was another sent masking it - a full demon who smelled similar to her kept throwing him off.

Eventually, Inuyasha went back to the castle. "Damn it, Inuhime..." He muttered in defeat. He hoped that he was wrong...

Flashback End

Sango echoed Miroku's sigh with her own. "I know how he feels... If only we knew what happened to-"

"INUHIME!" Inuyasha screamed, dashing between Miroku and Sango as he raced toward Inuhime.

Inuhime ran to them. She didn't stop until Inuyasha had her by the scuff of her neck. "Where the HELL were you?!" He growled.

"Sit, Inuyasha," Inuhime intoned. Inuyasha went pounding to the ground. Inuhime quickly reinforced the towel that was covering her.

Sango was the second to reach her. "I'm glad you're all right, Inuhime," She said, relief flooding her voice. "But, what happened to you're cloths?"

Inuhime blushed. "I don't know, really. I woke up in a cave in nothing but this towel and the rags of my old clothes. They are so shredded that it was indecent!"

Miroku came in time to hear Inuhime's story. "If that's true, then who..?" His face said the rest.

Inuhime blushed. Sango hit him. "PERVERT!" She hissed, fisted still shaking with indignation.

Inuhime looked at her feet... Unfortunately, that was where Inuyasha was. He saw her red face...

Inuyasha looked annoyed. "Well, who DID find you, ha?" He asked, a tint of jealousy. "Was is Koga?"

Inuhime blushed harder. "No..."

The three uncontously converged on her. "Who was it, then?!" They asked together.

Inuhime looked away. "...Um... well..."

"INUHIME!!" Shippo finally joined the group. He launched himself to land on Inuhime's shoulder... But found it already occupied.

Shippo fell backward. He jumped up again after a moment of confusion. "What IS that thing?!" He asked, a little startled.

Inuhime looked a little too innocent. "Oh, this? Why do you ask?"

Shippo pointed accusingly at the fluffy white thing on Inuhime's shoulder that the other three had ignored. "It's a demon! I swear it is! It was warm and was moving on its own and smelled like a demon!"

Inuhime blushed all the more. Inuyasha poked the fluffy thing. The fluffy thing WAS warm. He jumped back. "Shippos right! That IS some kind of Demon!"

Inuhime kept going deeper red. Miroku leaned closer. "Is this the friend that..?" He didn't need to finish.

"NO!" Inuhime snapped. "This is a present from the guy!" She closed her mouth.

Inuyasha and Miroku closed in on her. "So it WAS a 'Guy'!" They echoed. Inuhime blushed.

"Can we PLEASE drop this conversation?! I mean, come on! Is is really all that strange for a person to help somebody when they are hurt?! ALL I DID WAS HELP THE GUY AND HE GIVES ME A PRESENT WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT?!" Inuhime was red from head to toe now.

Inuyasha took another sniff at the fluffy demon. "This thing smells familiar... What is it anyway?"

Inuhime welcomed the change of subject. "It's a Parasite Demon. It's harmless now cause he dominated it. He gave it to me as a thank you... Although HE said it was a reward for not dying... Whatever that means..." Inuhime seemed to think back to the mysterious man.

Sango asked a question. "Do you know his name?"

Inuhime nodded. "He said his name was..." The four leaned closer to her.


	12. Like Pulling a Trigger

"His name was..." The four leaned even closer to her. "...Sesshomaru..." The four froze, and turned dead white.

Inuyasha was the first to snap out of it. "Sessho-" His eyebrows twitched. "Sessho- Sessho-" He clenched his fists. "... ... ... ... ... SESSHOMARU?!"

Inuhime gapped at their reaction. "What? What did I say?" She looked around at everyone, absently petting the fluffy leach.

Shippo came close to her. "Sesshomaru is the name of Inuyasha's brother..."

"HALF BROTHER!!" Inuyasha howled, tense and raging. Miroku and Sango were still white. Inuyasha jerked around, practically breathing fire. Inuhime turned a deep red.

"...So, that's why he looked so much like Inuyasha..." Inuhime mused out loud.

"WE LOOK NOTHING ALIKE!!" Inuyasha howled, tense and raging (still).

Miroku blushed, giddy. "So that Sesshomaru saw you- OW!" Sango his his head again.

"MIROKU! You're SUCH a PERVERT!" Inuhime said, blushing.

"Letcherous MONK!" Sango growled, angry.

Inuyasha came over to Inuhime again. He clawed at the fluffy leach. Inuhime narrowed her eyes.

The fluffy leach reared up and snapped at Inuyasha. He backed off. Then came again. Inuhime calmed the fluffy leach. This time Inuyasha went straight for Inuhime's neck. As soon as he touched her she triggered her trap.

"Sit..." She wispered. Inuyasha went happering to the ground. But Inuhime raised her foot and caught him right in the crotch. He went sprawling, dizzy from the pain and surprise.

Inuhime looked down on him. "Grow up - it's not like I'm your girlfriend!" She stalked past him towards the fire.


	13. Not Yours : Where the Hell did they go?

Inuyasha gapped at Inuhime's retreating form

Inuyasha gapped at Inuhime's retreating form. He watched as the leach Sesshomaru gave her wiggled, almost like it was taunting him. "Ha-ha-ha!" It said, "You suck! You don't have a girlfriend, and I get to cling to her body all I want. LOSER!" Inuyasha seethed with a jealousy he would never admit he had.

Raging, Inuyasha started for Inuhime. He grabbed her arm. "Where the hell is Sesshomaru now?!" he hissed, eyeing the 'damned leach'.

Inuhime looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "In a cave about six miles from here. He probably moved though."

"She's right," said a voice from behind them. "Inuyasha."

"Sesshomaru?! What the fucking hell did you do to Inuhime?!" Inuyasha drew his sword.

"Nothing, dear brother," Sesshomaru replied, a sarcastic tone dripping over the phrase "dear brother". "Although I have claimed her as mine. I came to take her back now. Come along, Inuhime."

Inuhime gapped at him. "Oh, what the fucking hell are you talking about? Did somebody switch your personality with Koga's or something?" Inuhime bristled, blushing. "You can't just claim me like a pet!" Inuhime snatched the Tetsuiga from Inuyasha. "WIND SCAR!!" She send it at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru dodged it effortlessly. "Just as I thought. You can wield our father's precious fangs." He looked at Inuyasha. "You know not the value of this one, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha shot past Inuhime. "Screw value, I'm gonna beat in your face!" He punched. Sesshomaru stopped him with his left arm. Inuyasha blinked, startled.

"Do you remember this? You took it from me a while ago. Inuhime was gracious enough to return it. You should follow her example and learn some manners." He sent the poison into Inuyasha without even moving. Inuyasha wrenched back in pain.

Clutching the poisoned skin, Inuyasha looked at Inuhime. "Why the hell did you give him back his arm?!"

Inuhime blushed. "I-I didn't do it! I was as surprised as you!!"

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru returned it with an even stare. "YOu don't remember, Inuhime, how you and I fought from dusk to dawn, tearing each other to shreds?" Sesshomaru looked at her, almost lovingly (for Sesshomaru, anyway. Most people give similar looks to show mild tolerance). "It's no surprise, seeing as how you were a full demon at the time."

Inuyasha looked at her. "That... was you and Sesshomaru?!" He was between fear and admiration.

Inuhime looked between the two brothers. "Look, I don't remember any of that! I'm not a monster, I'm not Sesshomaru's pet, and I'm not going to stand here and let you talk about me as if I wasn't here!" Inuhime lunged at Sesshomaru. "Stop it, Fluffy! You're making my head hurt!"

Sesshomaru didn't blink. He snapped his fingers. The leach bristled, and Inuhime froze, her eyes vacant. Tetsuiga was a mer inch away from Sesshomaru's face. Inuhime fell forward. Catching her, Sesshomaru used his free hand to keep her grip on Tetsuiga good and tight.

Then, to Inuyasha's despair, both Sesshomaru, Inuhime, and the Tetsuiga, were gone.


	14. Screwed

The last thing Inuhime new after she lunged for Sesshomaru was hearing a snap. Then, a small pain in the small between her neck and shoulder. Thats when the world went fuzzy. Her body felt heavy, alien, and distant. She forgot she could see with her eyes. Everything was fuzzy, and the world went from bright white to jet black in a swift gradient that left her stunned to the point of forgetting to breath.

So Inuhime didn't notice when she fell, or when Sesshomaru kept her from dropping the sword, or when they moved. She didn't notice when the leach wrapped itself three times around her whole body, tying her up. She didn't notice when Tetsuiga was taken away, or when she was set down on the floor of the cave.

But Sesshomaru noticed that her body kept fazing in and out between blond demon and black haired human. He looked down at her, engulfed in the white fur, flickering between races. It was intreguiging to him.

What excited him the most was when she started to shift from human, to half demon... to full demon.

Inuhime was in such a state that her system was in a frenzy. Demonic markings appeared and disappeared on her face, sometimes like a spark of fire, sometimes like an ocean wave. Her half closed eyes, blank and distant, changed from blue to green to yellow to red so fast it looked like a rainbow was running around in her head.

Sesshomaru watched with increasing interest.

Slowly, the venom the leach had injected to knock her out subsided. Inuhime clawed her way to consciousness. She stirred, shuddered, and swayed. She would have fallen if she had been upright.

The first thing she saw was Sesshomaru looming over her. She blinked, thought back, and then...

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Inuhime shrieked. "WHAT ARE YOU FUCKING THINKING?!" She paused, waiting for a reply. None came but the usual steady gaze. "ANSWER ME DAMN IT!!" Inuhime tried to stand up, but was completely off balance by the leach's weight around her arms, not to mention dizzy.

"Be still," Sesshomaru said in a low voice. "The venom will not completely wear off for another few days. A human would take months to recover completely. A full demon would be already. A half-demon should still be unconsciousness..." He looked down at her.

"I'M GONNA FUCKIN' KILL YOU SESSHOMARU!" Inuhime howled, fumbling wildly with her living bonds. She fell on her side, and the Shikon no Tama flew off her neck and into a hole in the far wall. She froze then, staring stupidly at it.

"Oh, no..." Inuhime started to squirm her way toward her treasure. Sesshomaru was to fast for her. He knelt down to pick it up.

"The Shikon Jewel..?" He examined it. "This is worthless to me..." He looked over his shoulder at Inuhime. "But it seems to be of value to you..." He looked into it again, thinking.

"Inuhime, I will be holding on to this for a while. If you behave, I will keep it safe..." His eyes seemed to sharpen. "Displease me, and I'll throw it to the next demon I see." Sesshomaru turned his back on her. "You are to stay here and wait until I return. Do not make a sound. Do not draw attention. Do not cause yourself harm." He stalked off.

Inuhime lay limp in her fluffy confines. She felt defeated. The Shikon Jewel, the only thing she had any responsibility for, was with Sesshomaru. It was blackmail! Her hands were tied, both figuratively AND literally. She couldn't do anything... At least not anything that would do any good.

As the sun set, Inuhime sank into despair.


	15. Screwed part2

As the sun set, Inuhime sank into despair

As the sun set, Inuhime sank into despair.

And as the moon rose, so did Inuhime's anger.

"That bastard!" Inuhime bitched to no one in particular. "Treating me like some pet. 'Sit, stay, good girl'! I'd like to give him some..." Inuhime stopped. She got an idea.

Wriggling to her feet, Inuhime went looking for Inuyasha.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was looking for her. He had followed her scent to the edge of the forest before loosing it.

"Damn that Sesshomaru! He's going to pay..." Inuyasha had a scary look on his face. Miroku, Shippo and Sango stayed by Kirara, not interested in getting in his way.

"Pay for what? Kidnapping Inuhime? Or taking the Shikon Jewel?" Shippo wondered out loud.

He was rewarded by Inuyasha's fist and fury. "MY SWORD YOU IDIOT MY SWORD!" Inuyasha screamed. "THAT DAMN BASTARD STOLE MY SWORD!"

"That's not all he stole..." Miroku whispered to Sango, who got the message. They could all see the red on Inuyasha's face.

"So... that damn sword... is more important... than me?" Came a tired voice from beyond the trees.

Inuyasha turned, and his face lit up.

Inuhime had smelled his scent and came running. She was scratched from tree branches and leaves were in her hair, which was thrown about hap-hazardly from her racing speed.

"This damn leach... bit me again... but I... I still came running..." She stumbled over to them. "I run... through miles... to find you... while tied up and in nothing else but a towel..." Her footsteps grew harder. "And all you... you care about... is your," she stopped in front of Inuyasha, "FUCKING SWORD?!"

Inuyasha cringed. "Inuhime! YOu've got is-"

"SIT-SIT-SIT-SIT-SIT!"

Inuyasha went hammering into the ground.

"SIT-SIT-SIT-SIT-SIT!!"

The earth cracked under him. Inuhime paused to take a breath, and Inuyasha got up and ran to grab her.

"Why you-!" He lunged.

".s.I't..." Inuhime wheezed.

Inuyasha made a six-foot hole in the ground.

Inuhime managed to stay on her feet only long enough for Inuyasha to get on his. Then she fell into the hole with him. She twisted in the air so she fell back first, and Inuyasha caught her with both hands. Looking at him with blurring vision, Inuhime sighed. "You're a pain in the ass... you know that..?" The leach wiggled with triumph as Inuhime succumbed to it's venom. She was knocked out.

Inuyasha looked down at her, angry, not at her, but at the situation. He jumpped out of the hole.

"Miroku, take Inuhime back to that Old Hag, Kaede. I'm going after my sword." Inuyasha put Inuhime down, then was off into the forest. He followed her scent to the cave.


	16. Screwed part 3

"Miroku, take Inuhime back to that Old Hag, Kaede. I'm going after my sword." Inuyasha put Inuhime down, then was off into the forest. He followed her scent to the cave.

Sesshomaru walked along a pebble scattered path. He continued without faltering when the terrain turned molten red with fire and brimstone. He went for the great skull of what must have been a powerful demon which was situated in the center of the area. He was pleased to head the ringing of hammer on anvil.

"It has been a long time, Totosai..." Sesshomaru began, coming up behind the old man in front of the forge. The old man froze, and began to sweat. He turned jerkily to face the visiting demon. "I have a job for you..."

"How many time must I tell you that you already have all the swords I'm ever going to forge for you?!" Totosai yelled before slamming down his hammer at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru stopped it with his left hand. Totosai gapped.

"I will never get tired of this reaction. Is this what humans do when they see a crippled aquantiance in full health as well?" Sesshomaru smiled a smug smile. "I have not come for a sword. I have come for a guantlet."

"A guantlet?" Totosai backed up. "What do you want that for?"

"I want a guantlet that will allow me to wield Tetsuiga."

Totosai laughed. "I made Tetsuiga! I know what you need. But even I don't have the power allow a demon to hold that sword-"

"Will this provide that power?" Sesshomaru held up a small round object.

"Thats-" Totosai to an involitary step forward. "Why do you have the Shikon no Tama?!"

Sesshomaru ignored the question. "Will this provide the power?!" His voice grew terse, although his face didn't change.


	17. The Final Battle

Sesshomaru entered the cave, looking left and right across the floor. He seemed to be looking for something. But he didn't find what he was looking for.

"Looking for this?" A voice called from the shadows. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"How did you find this place, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru hissed, displeased.

"None of your business!" Inuyasha sneered, swinging the Tetsuiga up to sit on his shoulder. "But don't mind me - now that I have my sword back, I'll be happy to let you live on my way out!"

Sesshomaru raised his poisoned claws. "You impertinence bores me. Now hand over my new sword." He cracked his knuckles. "But I am curious. Where has the girl gone with my leach?"

"The sword and the leach... the sword and the leach... the sword and the leach - WHAT AM I A consolation PRIZE?!" Came Inuhime's voice from the entrance of the cave. A dozen or so small balls of light shot into the cavern.

Inuyasha stared at them as they formed a circle around Sesshomaru and himself. They began to come closer, but Sesshomaru's demonic aura kept them at a safe distance.

"Oh no, not again!" Inuyasha started looking for a gap in the circle. Sesshomaru looked at him like he was crazy. Inuyasha finally dashed under them at lightning speed. He hid behind a great big rock opposite the cave entrance, cowering in fear. "No way, no way, no way DON'T DO IT!!"

"Cease your howling, Inuyasha," an old women said from beside Inuhime. "Ye already have one, so there be no point in giving ye another." Kaede glared at him with her one good eye. "We be giving these to Sesshomaru." She returned to her task.

"Really, Inuyasha, what would more of those do anyway?" Miroku asked, a bit of laughter in his voice.

"He really is afraid of them, isn't he?" Sango asked in aw, coming up behind them. "Miroku, Kaede, Inuhime, are you ready yet?"

Inuhime smiled. "Do it, Sango!"

"Hiraikotsu!!" The boomerang went flying at Sesshomaru. He deflected it, but the narrowness of the cave caught the boomerang so it blocked Sesshomaru's view of the entrance with it's broadside.

The large weapon caused an annoyance. Sesshomaru turned to Inuyasha. "What are you talking about?" Inuyasha looked like he was about to reply when the lights grew brighter, sending him cringing.

The balls of light began to pulse and close in on Sesshomaru's neck. Sesshomaru started. "How- How can a decrepit human priestess possibly overpower my aura?!"

Inuhime laughed. "Kaede may be old, but she is a great priestess. And besides that, she's not alone..." Inuhime glanced at the boomerang. "The boomerang is not suppose to bar your vision. It's a marker. We needed something that could get close enough to you that Miroku's sutras would affect you."

Sesshomaru's eyes got wide and red. "The arrogants... A priestess and a monk are not enough to subdue me..."

"Of course not! But a monk, a priestess, and a demon priestess should be more than sufficient!" Inuhime came around the boomerang and grabbed at Sesshomaru's hair. He twisted away, but Inuhime didn't seem perterbed.

"Thank you for the hair, Fluffy." Inuhime plucked some hair from her own head, and tied Sesshomaru's hair with her own. "A little Demon Puppetry..." She shoved the hair into a hollow fang, then topped it off. "...with a little holy power..." Inuhime prayed into the fang until it glowed, "...and voala - a pretty neckless for Sesshy!"

Sesshomaru glared at Inuhime.

"TAKE IT AWAY KAEDE!" Inuhime called.

Sesshomaru bristled. The beads closed in. He howled as he expelled all the demonic power he could spare. Inuyasha had never seen Sesshomaru so worked up.

And Inuyasha had never been so happy to hear Inuhime say...

"SIT!"

...because this time, Inuyasha wasn't the only one to go into the dirt.

Inuhime looked down on the twitching Sesshomaru. "I was just a pawn in your plan to steal the Tetsuiga, wasn't I?" She smerked. "Well, I guess you got pwned by a pawn. And that's checkmate!"


	18. A Kiss Goodbye

Inuyasha sat by the fire, laughing and pointing at his half brother. "YOU'RE A PET! YOU'RE A PET! YOU'RE A FREAKING PET!!"

Sesshomaru glared at him over the top of Inuhime's head. "Don't talk to me..."

"Be nice, fluffy, and sit-" Sesshomaru and Inuyasha fell on their faces, "-down..." She looked at them. "Oops! I didn't mean it!" She waved her hand at Inuyasha, and looked at Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eye. "Can't you be civil once and a while?"

Sesshomaru got up on his knees and was sitting. "I will remove these accursed beads of subjugation, and then I will kill you..."

Inuhime sighed. "Yeah... right..." She turned to him. "I'm tired. You're going to be my pillow." Sesshomaru put on a disgusted face that was so priceless it made Inuhime laugh inside. "And don't make stupid faces. You brought this upon yourself..."

Inuyasha looked freaked out. "Wh-Why are you sleeping on HIM?!" He jumped up and pointed.

"Because 1- I'm still mad at you for caring more about your stupid sword than me, and 2- Fluffy is fluffier than you right now." Inuhime sat on Sesshomaru's lap and leaned back into his leach covered shoulder.

Sesshomaru looked away, pretending that Inuhime wasn't there. Inuhime closed her eyes. '...I...' Inuhime thought to herself, '...I would rather sleep on Inuyasha...but...I can't let him think I'm easy to get...' She sighed inwardly. '...damn, to tired to care...' She was asleep in moments.

Inuyasha glared at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru ignored the sleeping figure of a human girl.

"What do you got that I don't got?!" He sneered, more to himself than to his brother.

Sesshomaru looked into the fire. "..."

"Well, when are you gonna leave?!" Inuyasha sneered, louder.

Sesshomaru didn't look away from the fire. "..."

"HAY! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" Inuyasha got up, hand on his sword.

Sesshomaru didn't move an inch.

"Come on, Fluffy, FIGHT ME!" Inuyasha howled, drawing Tetsuiga.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes. "...Don't call me that..."

Inuyasha realized he had hit a nerve. "What's the matter, Fluffy, scared of me now?" He put his sword away.

A vein popped on Sesshomaru's forehead.

"Aaw, did I hurt your feelings?" Inuyasha teased. "Fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluffy, fluf-OW!"

Sesshomaru had given him a lump, and he stood there as Inuyasha rubbed the lump. "Don't make me repeat myself, half-bread..." Sesshomaru said calmly.

A low growl came from close beside the fire. "...you... ...MORON!" Inuhime shrieked. "YOU ALMOST BARBECUED ME!!" Inuyasha blinked at her, and Sesshomaru looked at her calmly. "You two need a time out!" Inuyasha and Sesshomaru seemed to get nervous. "SIT!" They both fell down, Sesshomaru on Inuyasha.

Inuhime sighed, then jumped on top of them.

"Ow! DAMN IT GET OFF ME!" Inuyasha howled.

"Why? Its a picture perfect dog pile!" Inuhime laughed at her own joke.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes. "This is..." Inuhime smacked him on the head. Inuyasha cracked up. He got a smack too.

"OW! What did I do?!" Inuyasha whined.

"...stop your barking, Inuyasha..." Sesshomaru said, "The sound of your voice is unpleasant to the ears..."

"SHUT UP!" Inuyasha growled. He looked up. "Hay, Inuhime, get off a' me will ya?!" He waited for a reply. "Inuhime?!"

But she was fast asleep.

Inuhime walked along the road. "Hey, Kaede, why the heck is Fluffy following me now?"

kaede thought a moment. "Did you place your own hair within the fang beside Sesshomaru's?"

"Yeah... I tied my hair around Fluffy's and stuffed them into the fang..."

Kaede nodded. "I thought you would just put them in together..." Kaede sighed inwardly.

"Tying your hair to his hair invoked a spell that compels Sesshomaru to stay within a set distance of you." Kaede sounded amazed and yet annoyed. "Should he stray, his demonic powers would be subjected to greater and greater pressure."

Kaede looked at Inuhime. "Eventually, he may lose his strength all together, and then he would die."

Inuhime got a freaked look on her face. "So... how close does he have to stay..?"

Kaede looked at the ground. "Within the flight distance of twelve arrows... No more..."

Inuhime's mind raced. "Thats about three miles... So Sesshomaru can't get farther than three miles of me without loosing his powers, and eventually, his life... And I thought Inuyasha had it bad..."

Sesshomaru came up behind them. "Remove these beads from around my neck, woman..."

Inuhime sighed. "And I was just starting to feel sorry for you... SIT!"

"OW - WHAT DID I DO?!" Inuyasha howled.

"Sorry Inuyasha! I meant it for Sesshomaru!!"

Sesshomaru got up and kept walking like nothing had happened. "I gave you an order, and I expect them to be fulfilled..."

"Stuff it, Fluffy - thats not going to work..." Inuhime stopped moving. Sesshomaru stopped to. She turned around. "You are not allowed to draw your swords, Fluffy. I'll say you-know-what if I catch you with a blade out. Got it?" She turned around and kept walking.

Sesshomaru looked after her. "This woman is strange and annoying..." He followed.

The party went to Kaede's village and the dry old Bone Eaters Well. Inuhime went to sit by the Sacred Tree. Sesshomaru followed her.

"I'm not going to take them off, so stop asking..." Inuhime, sighed, exasperated.

"You will, or I will kill you and be done with it..." Sesshomaru flexed his claws. "I will not be tied to you."  
"Deal with it!" Inuhime yelled at him.

Sesshomaru grabbed her by the neck. "Don't make me ask again..."

"Sit..." Inuhime said. the beads glowed, but Sesshomaru remained standing. "Sit." The ground under his feet cracked. "Sit!" Sesshomaru's grip weakened on Inuhime's neck, and he grunted with the effort. "SIT!" Sesshomaru went to the ground, dragging Inuhime with him.

Inuhime coughed. "I told you, I'm not going to free you!"

Sesshomaru said nothing.

"What an idiot..." Inuyasha said from behind the tree. "If you keep messing with her she's just going to say 'SIT' until you pass out. Or are you so dumb you don't understand that yet?"

Sesshomaru regarded Inuyasha with mild interest. "It is only a matter of time before these things are off and she is in the other world."

Inuhime snorted, then coughed again. "You know... You might just get half your wish..."

"...half..?" Sesshomaru sneered, agitated. "Do you imply that you will remove these?" He indicated the neckless.

Inuhime laughed nervously as she went around the tree. "Oh, no... I'm not going to take them off..." She slid down to sit at the base of the tree. "I... might die..."

Inuyasha ran to her. "WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" He screeched.

"I mean what I say..." Inuhime panted. "I might die..." She made herself sit up. Her brow was covered in sweat. "I feel like... I'm being turned inside out... Like someone is tearing out my insides... and sewing them back again with a dull needle..."

Inuyasha jumped back when her body pulsed. He got nervous when her hair flickered from gold to black, over and over again. "I- Inuhime- what's-!" He jumped back again when her scent changed. "You smell like..."

"...Inu... Yasha..." Inuhime pulsed even more. Her demon smell stopped all together. Inuyasha leaned forward.

"Ka-Kagome..?" Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome shuddered, and Inuhime came back. "Inuyasha..." The vibrations shook the ground under their feet.

"Kagome? Inuhime?!" Inuyasha got scared. "Hello?! HEY! SAY SOMETHING!!" He shook her - or their - shoulders.

With black hair glowing with a golden light, Inuhime's voice came out. "Inuyasha... this is goodbye... I guess I wore myself out subjugating Sesshomaru..." She looked into his eyes and smiled. "I... I have to tell you... I... I..." Her face came so close he could feel her breath on his cheek. "...I love you..."

They kissed...

Inuyasha instinctively drew her close to him. He felt her body vibrate with the transformation. Inuhime's demonic aura seemed to smother him. They final broke apart.

"You idiot! Where the... where the hell did that come from?!" Inuyasha was shaken up by the declaration. That kiss didn't help either.

"I've always wanted to do that..." Inuhime breathed. She smiled, closing her eyes.

There was a bright flash of light.

When Inuyasha could see again, Kagome was collapsed at the base of the tree, stark naked and shimmering with purple light.

Inuhime's voice echoed from those sparks.

"I'm sorry. Sesshomaru still has the Shikon Jewel. I love you, Inuyasha. Goodbye."


End file.
